RAWALPINDI, 16 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has described the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye as a purely defensive arrangement aimed at promoting regional peace and stability. Speaking in an interview with Al Arabiya, the DG ISPR said the agreement contained no element of aggression or interference and was not directed against any country or alliance, adding that the pact was intended to strengthen collective deterrence among the participating countries. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that in the event of an attack on any of the three member countries, the decision regarding the response would rest with the respective leaderships, while operational details concerning the defence commitments remained classified. He said Pakistan was formalising its longstanding relations with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye through the agreement, adding that the pact could have significance beyond the three participating countries and contribute to regional peace and security. The military spokesperson said Pakistan’s primary objective was to promote regional stability and prevent existing conflicts from spreading, adding that Islamabad’s longstanding relations with both the United States and Iran placed it in a position to play a mediating role. He maintained that Pakistan had no vested interest in the disputes and wanted differences to be resolved through dialogue. The DG ISPR stressed that efforts should focus on preventing conflicts from expanding rather than resolving disputes through air, land or maritime confrontation. He said negotiations remained the way forward for resolving disputes and urged all sides to pursue peaceful, dialogue-based solutions. He also called on countries willing to facilitate mediation to continue playing an impartial role and indicated that the Makkah defence arrangement could be expanded to include additional partners in the future.